AUTHOR=Pérez-Hedo Meritxell , Arias-Sanguino Ángela M. , Urbaneja Alberto 

TITLE=Induced Tomato Plant Resistance Against Tetranychus urticae Triggered by the Phytophagy of Nesidiocoris tenuis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2018.01419

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2018.01419

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>The zoophytophagous predator <italic>Nesidiocoris tenuis</italic> (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is capable of inducing plant defenses in tomato due to its phytophagous behavior. These induced defenses, which include the release of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs), have been proven to affect the oviposition behavior and reduce the subsequent performance of some tomato pests. However, the effect of induction of plant defenses by <italic>N. tenuis</italic> on the preference, development, and reproduction of the two-spotted spider mite <italic>Tetranychus urticae</italic> Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) remains unknown. In this research, <italic>T. urticae</italic> did not show preference for the odor source emitted by intact tomato plants when compared with <italic>N. tenuis</italic>-punctured plants and jasmonic acid (JA) deficient mutant tomato plants. Furthermore, the number of eggs laid by <italic>T. urticae</italic> on intact tomato plants or on <italic>N. tenuis</italic>-punctured plants was similar. However, in a greenhouse experiment conducted to evaluate whether the defense induction mediated by <italic>N. tenuis</italic> had an effect on <italic>T. urticae</italic> the infestation of <italic>T. urticae</italic> was significantly reduced by 35% on those plants previously activated by <italic>N. tenuis</italic> when compared to the control. The expression of a JA-responsive gene that was upregulated and the transcription of the plant protein inhibitor II was higher on activated plants relative to the control. These results can serve as a basis for the development of new management strategies for <italic>T. urticae</italic> based on plant defense mechanisms induced from the phytophagous behavior of <italic>N. tenuis</italic>.</p>